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Iraq Inquiry

This has been a significant debate, in terms both of the passion and quality of the speeches by Members from all parties and of the sheer flimsiness of the arguments advanced by Ministers in defence of the Government's position. A couple of speeches will stay in my mind. The historical knowledge of my hon. Friend the Member for Louth and Horncastle (Sir Peter Tapsell) and his references to the Ems telegram, Cavour and successive Iraqi leaders certainly set the debate in context. I confess that I was somewhat entertained when I listened to the hon. Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) give the House a lecture on the importance of constant principle in the context of politics today.